Researcher to explain the science behind "Shake, Rattle and Blow"

Sarkar, an associate professor who holds Iowa State's T.A. and Grace
Miller Wilson Endowed Chair in aerospace engineering, will take his message
to Science 101 in Washington, D.C., later this month.

Sarkar's talk is part of a series of luncheon presentations about the
science behind science policy. The presentations are sponsored by the
Science Coalition, a group lobbying for more federal support of
university-based research on behalf of Iowa State University and more than
400 other organizations. The presentations are for congressional members and
staffers who want to learn a little basic science about natural disasters,
space, computing and other topics.

Sarkar will explain what tornadoes, hurricanes and microbursts from
violent thunderstorms do to American homes and buildings. He'll say the
storms have different wind speed distributions that produce different loads
on houses and buildings. He'll say engineers and atmospheric scientists
still have lots of questions to answer about those winds. And he'll say they
have a lot to do to reduce damages from those winds.

Sally Schoenvogel, the press assistant for the Science Coalition, said
anywhere from 50 to 100 congressional members or staffers attend the
presentations. There are typically four presentations every year. They're
designed to introduce science facts, explain recent discoveries and answer
questions.

The next presentation is "Shake, Rattle and Blow: Weathering Natural
Disasters." It will be from noon to 1 p.m. Monday, June 20, in the Gold Room
of the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington. Appearing with Sarkar
will be Michel Bruneau who directs an earthquake engineering research center
at the University at Buffalo in New York.

Sarkar, who uses a tornado/microburst simulator and wind tunnel tests in
his Howe Hall lab to study the effects of strong winds on buildings and
bridges, wants Congress to understand that wind disasters don't have to be
property disasters.

"Wind is one natural disaster that has the potential to be solved," he
said.

But Sarkar said that will take more research, better funding and
sustained support from the federal government. Plus it will take the
transfer of research findings to building codes and construction
practices.

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Partha
Sarkar

Quick look

Partha Sarkar will tell congressional members and staffers that
tornadoes, hurricanes and thunderstorms don't have to be property
disasters.